Swimmer's ear
Otitis externa can usually be treated effectively with ear drops prescribed by your GPand some simple self-care techniques.
In most cases, your symptoms will start to improve within a few days of starting treatment.
Ifyour symptoms are severe or they fail to respond to initial treatment, your GP may refer you to a specialist for further treatment and advice.
The advice below should help to relieve yoursymptoms to some extent and help to prevent complications:
While otitis externa can clear up by itself, this can take several weeks without treatment. Your GP can usually prescribe medicated ear drops that speed up the healing process. These usually need to be taken several times a day for about a week.
There are four main types of ear drops used to treat otitis externa:
Sometimes you may be given medication that's a combination of the above, such as antibiotic and corticosteroid ear drops.
Once treatment is complete and the inflammation has settled, your doctor may want to re-examine your ear to check for any underlying physical problems that could have contributed to the condition, such as having an abnormal or perforated (torn) ear drum .
Ear drops may not work as well if they're not used in the right way, so it's important to apply them correctly. Ideally, ask somebody else to apply the drops for you, as this makes the process much easier.
You (or your helper) will need to follow these steps:
If necessary, there are some other treatments your GP can provide to help treat otitis externa, such as:
If necessary, your GP may refer you to a specialist for further treatment.
The specialist may decideto remove earwax from inside your earsto help make ear drops more effective. This can be done in a number of ways:
You may also need an ear wick, which is a soft cotton gauze plug covered with medication and inserted into your ear canal.
An ear wick allows the medication to reach the end of your ear canal. It should be changed every two to threedays.
Otitis externa is a condition that causes inflammation (redness and swelling) of the external ear canal, which is the tube between the outer ear and eardrum.
Otitis externa can cause a number of different symptoms affecting the ear and the surrounding area.
There are several different causes of otitis externa, such as a bacterial infection, a middle ear infection or an allergic reaction.
Otitis externa can usually be treated effectively with ear drops prescribed by your GP and some simple self-care techniques.
Although complications associated with otitis externa are uncommon, there's a small risk of further problems developing.
It's not always possible to prevent otitis externa, but you can reduce your risk of developing the condition.